Discussible Choices: What Are You Reading?
August 2008

Congratulations to Laura and the Blackey Library Book Club for winning the random drawings for this month’s Discussible Book Choice! 

We enjoy hearing from book club members who share with everyone the book choices that made for lively discussions.. Please let us know what about the book contributed to your great discussion – you may win a book-related prize for every member of your reading group!

“Our book club just finished reading and discussing The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood.  It was a story about a couple whose 5-year old daughter dies of meningitis and how they try to cope with the loss of their only child.  It was a very good book, and everyone in the group liked it although some thought it unbearably sad.  One member of our book club has actually been through the tragic loss of both of her children and stated that it came the closest of any book to describing what she had actually felt in dealing with her own loss.”

Laura, Blackey Library Book Club, Jeremiah, KY

More Discussible Book Choices

“We had a delightful discussion after reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter. It was a very personal & moving book for several in our group, because they have children with Downs Syndrome in their classes (Special Education teachers.) In our church we also have several adults with the Syndrome - two are in the Sunday School Class I lead, and they add so much to the class. They bless our class, teach us how to pray from the heart, patience, and how precious each individual life and the gifts it brings to others can be. The discussion focused upon these gifts especially the gifts of love and acceptance shown in our Down Syndrome friends.”

Ann, The Read & Dialogue Book Group, San Antonio, TX

“We have a summer book group that meets June, July, and August when our regular Fiction Book Club is on hiatus. It is a spin-off of the national program called Reading the World. We try to meet outside and, being Minnesotans, near lake or river when we can. 

“The first year we did three titles from the Reading the World List (books in translation, heavy reading for summer), the second year we read three travel memoirs (much better for summer, but still very discussable) and this summer we're reading three stories of immigration.

“Our titles this summer are Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, Across a Hundred Mountains, and Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears.  This list has been great for discussion and very well-received.

Next summer, we may do mysteries around the world (Soho Crime has so many great ones) or maybe focus on one region – The White Tiger, The Elephanta Suite, The Golden Age, Anil's Ghost, etc."

Laura, Bookin' It Summer Book Group, Little Falls, MN

“Our group ranges from 8 to 15 women. We meet every 2 months and try to be as low stress as possible so everyone has fun. This means we share who is hosting and if you want to serve chips and dip that is fine or those who want can serve a full course meal.

“The last few books we have been lucky since we have loved them. In the spring we read Water for Elephants, and we just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. Next we are going to read the classic Jane Eyre and a new book called Lost. For the fall is The Devil and the White City. We try to make sure everyone has a chance to pick a book because some of us read more than others but want everyone to feel like part of the group.”

Tracey, Low Stress Book Club, Toronto, Ontario

“The Shack by William P. Young. Wow! What a thought-provoking book, and also it makes you question your faith your perceptions about God the trinity etc. Very lively discussion as we have a diverse group of women, not from the same faith, some who are not believers, so it was very energetic.”

Dawn, Unbook Group, Meridian, ID

“The latest book club selections for my group have included Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer, Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, Rise and Shine by Anna Quinlan, and On the Road by Jack Kerouac.”

Wendy, Potomac, MD

“Among our recent most discussable choices were Mr. Pip by Lloyd Jones, Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland, and Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon.”

Lois, Tuesday Group that Sometimes Meets on Monday, Santa Barbara, CA